Woman found not guilty of harming police officers during Middle Eastern organised crime squad raid

A woman who fainted after armed crime squad officers stormed her house has been found not guilty of trying to attack them with a piece of jagged glass.

Wafa Wazer, 52, had her house in south-west Sydney raided by Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad officers in May last year.

She was found not guilty of assaulting an officer and being armed with intent during the raid after she smashed a vase and held a shard in front of her – leading one officer to pull out her weapon.

 

Wafa Wazer, 52, had her house in south-west Sydney raided by Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad officers in May last year

She was found not guilty of assaulting an officer and being armed with intent during the raid (pictured) after she smashed a vase and held a shard in front of her

She was found not guilty of assaulting an officer and being armed with intent during the raid (pictured) after she smashed a vase and held a shard in front of her

Police were at the property to serve a firearm order on Ms Wazer’s daughter Amany Hamid, 30, a mother of one, the Daily Telegraph reported.  

Ms Wazer said she was suicidal when she grabbed the glass, and police believed she intended to harm them.

An officer pulled out her weapon and told Ms Wazer to drop the glass, and she was then handcuffed.

A magistrate in Bankstown Local Court last week found Ms Wazer not guilty, saying she probably only meant to harm herself.

‘I came here to Australia from Lebanon when I was 17 years old, I worked seven days a week, made a life,’ she said outside court.

‘For the police to be at my house every week, three or four times, and all my neighbours looking at me like a stranger. I had enough. I thought why should I live? I had no friends, no support.’

Ms Wazer said she was suicidal when she grabbed the glass, and police believed she intended to harm them

Ms Wazer said she was suicidal when she grabbed the glass, and police believed she intended to harm them

Senior Constable Aaron Jelfs told the court Ms Wazer asked to go back into the house during the raid.

After being told she may be arrested if she continued to act in the same manner, she then fainted.

CCTV footage shows Ms Wazer wearing a dressing gown while officers raid her house. She falls to the floor before being carried inside by a family member. 

Lifeline – 13 11 14 

Senior Constable Aaron Jelfs told the court Ms Wazer asked to go back into the house during the raid

Senior Constable Aaron Jelfs told the court Ms Wazer asked to go back into the house during the raid



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